Self-closing umbrella



(No Model.)

F.E.STOV,ER. SELF CLOSING UMBRELLA.

PIG/604,275.

Patented May 17,1898.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

FRANKF. STOVER, OF LURAY, VIRGINIA.

SELF-CLOSING UMBRELLA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 604,275, dated May 1'7, 1898.

Application filedllanuary 11, 1898. Serial No. 666 ,276. (NamodeL) T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. STOVER, of Luray, in the county of Page and State of Virginia, have invented a new and Improved Self-Closing Umbrella, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a means whereby when the runner of an umbrella is released from its latch the said runner will by spring force be automatically drawn down the stick and the umbrellaclosed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an effective device for locking the runner when the umbrella is opened and a means for releasing the runner from its latch when the umbrella is closed, the releasing'device being operated from a point near the handle.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an improvement in the runner that the usual tie-Wire may be dispensed with and the stretchers may be held in the runner by the action of the above-mentioned springs only.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of the frame of the umbrella, the umbrella being opened. vFig. 2 is an enlarged view of the handle of the umbrella, the said handle being in longitudinal section and the runnerlatch in position to hold the runner to spread the umbrella.- Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the runner, illustrating the manner in which the springs for the stretchers hold said stretchers therein; and Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the stick above the runner, the stretchers having been carried upward.

The stickA of the umbrella maybe of any desired construction. As illustrated,the stick is tubular. The-usual crown is provided for the stick, and the ordinary ribs B are attached to the crown, the ribs being provided with the customary stretchers C; but each stretcher has attached to it near its connection with the runner one end of a spring D, the other end of each spring being securely fastened to the runner, as shown particularly in Figs. 1, 3, and 4. The springs D are so secured that when the runner is released from its latch the runner will be forced downward and compelled to take a position which will fold the ribs close to the stick.

The runner E is provided at its lower end with an annular flange 10, and the outer edge of the said flange is beveled, as shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 3. Within the stick is the latch 19, which is straight for the greater portion of its length and is provided near the top with an upwardly-inclined projection 20 and near the bottom with a second similarlyinclined projection 22. The upper inclined projection 20 extends out through the opening 21, made in the stick, and a pin 21 is passed through the said upper projection, so that it cannot entirely enter the stick. The lower projection 22 of the latch, however, is free to enter the slot 23 in the stick and permit the runner E to pass it; but when the runner is in position to fully open the umbrella, as shown in Fig. 2, the lower projection 22 will engage with the beveled or inclined flange 10 of the runner, and thus will sustain the runner in its upper position.

At the upper end of the latch 19 a tongue 19 is formed, the said tongue being of spring material, and it is so curved that it will bear against the inner face of the stick. At the lower end of the latch 19 a rod 24 is secured, corresponding to the rod 14 in the other views, and the rod 24 is carried down to the handle portion of the stick and made to terminate in a knob 25, which extends outwardly through a slot 26, made in the stick, so that by drawing downwardly on the knob 25 the lower point or projection 22 of the latch 19 will be drawn entirely within the stick, and the run-.

ner may move freely down the stick to a position which will effect the closing of the umbrella. When, however, the runner is carried upward, it will engage with the upper projection or point 20, and in the event the latch 19 should fail to act properly. the runner, by engagement with the upper point 20, will compel the lower point 22-to pass out through the opening 23 in the stick and engage with the bottom portion of the runner. The upper point 20 on the latch 19 also serves to prevent the runner being carried beyond the position absolutely necessary to fully spread the umbrella.

The runner E is of peculiar construction, inasmuch that the runner is provided at the top near its outer edge with an annular groove 27, (shown in Figs. 3 and 4,) and at intervals in the bottom of the said groove slots 28 are made, the slots likewise extending through the outer side of that portion of the runner in which the annular groove 27 is produced. The vertical slots 28 correspond in number to the number of stretchers O, and each stretcher is adapted to enter at its lower end one of the slots 28, as shown at the left in Fig. 3, and, furthermore, at the bottom of each stretcher a transverse pin 29 is located, and these pins rest upon the bottom of the annular groove 27 at each side of the slots, into which the other ends secured to the stretchers, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4:. In a folding umbrella, the combination with a tubular stick provided with spaced openings, and a runner on the stick, of a latch within the stick and having its upper end bearing against the inner face of the stick, the said latch being provided with lugs projecting out through the openings of the stick, one of said lugs having limited movement in the opening of the stick while the other is free to work in and out in its opening, and an operating-rod secured to the latch and extending to the handle end of the stick, sub stantially as described.

5. In an umbrella, the combination with a tubular stick provided with spaced openings, and a runner on the stick, of a latch within stretchers are carried, as illustrated at the right in Fig. 3. Under this construction it is obvious that the tie-wire usually employed for attaching the stretchers to the runner of an umbrella may be dispensed with and that the springs D will act to hold the stretchers at all times in proper position within the runner.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In an umbrella, the combination with ribs, and stretchers, of a runner having in its upper face seats in which the lower ends of the stretchers loosely rest, and coil-springs secured to the stretchers and to the upper portion of the runner, whereby the springs serve to hold the stretchers to the runner and also to force the runner downward when released from its locking device, substantially as described.

2. In an umbrella, the combination with the runner, said runner being provided with an annular groove in its upper surface, and slots crossing the said groove at intervals, of stretchers having their lower ends formed to enter the said slots, and provided with transverse pivots that seat in the said groove, and coil-springs attached to the stretchers and to the upper face of the runner,the springs serving to hold the stretchers in rockable engagement'with the runner, as specified.

3. In a folding umbrella, the combination of a runner having a collar on its upper end and provided on its upper face with an annular groove,and with slots crossing said groove, stretchers provided at their lower ends with transverse pivots seated in the groove of the runner, and coil-springs having one end secured to the collar of the runner and their the stuck and provided with lugs proJectlng through the openings of the stick and with a tongue at its upper end, the upper lug of the latch being loosely held in its opening, and an operating-rod secured to the latch extending to the handle end of the stick and projecting out through an opening therein, substantially as described.

6. In an umbrella, the combination with a tubular stick provided with two spaced openings at its upper end and with an opening at its lower end, and a runner on the stick, of a latch within the stick and provided with a tongue at its upper end bearing against the inner face of the stick and with two lugs, the upper lug projecting through one of the openings in the stick and having a pin passing through it to hold it in the opening, the lower lug being free to move in and out of the opening in the stick, and an operating-rod secured to the latch and provided at its lower end with a knob projecting out through the opening at the lower end of the stick, substantially as described.

7. A closing umbrella, comprising a tubular stick, a runner mounted on the stick, ribs pivoted to the upper end of the stick,stretchers pivoted to the ribs and loosely seated in the runner,coil-springs secured to the stretch ers and runner, a pivoted and sliding latch within the stick for engaging the runner, and an operating-rod secured to the latch and eX- tending to the handle end of the stick and projecting out through an opening therein. substantially as herein shown and described.

FRANK E. STOVER.

WVitnesses:

J. FRED. ACKER, J NO. M. BITTER. 

